


This too shall pass

by 1000lux



Series: Hunger [3]
Category: Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: Coda for after the books, Gale's POV, Katniss' POV, Look into the future, M/M, Peeta's POV
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-25
Updated: 2017-06-25
Packaged: 2018-11-18 20:50:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,117
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11298594
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/1000lux/pseuds/1000lux
Summary: A look at how things are continuing for the boys after they moved to district 2 after the end of the last part.





	This too shall pass

**Author's Note:**

> So, this is the final part of the series.

They wake up in a well lit appartment each morning now. A panorama window gives them a good view over District 2.

Peeta isn't still sleeping, of course. He never was a very sound sleeper since his return. He's in their gym room, already.  
Yes, they have that now, a private gym room.  
It's almost as if they're getting as decadent as the Capitol people. Only those would probably say that they were close to living on the street if offered their commodations.

It still feels unreal to Gale sometimes. Somewhere along the way between pity, jealousy and 'I don't know what the fuck I'm doing' he'd fallen in love.  
And despite everyone's doubts it worked out. Gale had been sure that what they had would vanish after the war. But it hadn't. Six months since he said his final goodbyes to Katniss and had moved to District 2.  
Around mostly people he'd never known before Peeta has nearly gone back to normal. Fits and panic attacks he reserves for home now.

Peeta's got his head-phones on, that's why he's not aware of his entrance immediately. That's one big achievement too. A few months ago he would have never trusted his surrounding enough to let himself be caught that unaware.

It doesn't take him long, though. He says he can feel if someone's staring at him. Peeta turns around and smiles at Gale.

****

There's much to do, trying to aggregate thirteen districts, fourteen if you count the capitol, into one. Some people got rights they never had, others get rights taken away, they never should have had to begin with.

District 2 has become the new Capitol in a sense. Here all the important decisions are made here. Everyone of importance lives here (except Katniss and Haymitch of course).

Still, it's a place of contradictions. Arrogant members of District 2, who always considered themselves better than the rest, mingle with executives of the new government and the army.  
People from District 10, from District 4, from District 12, many from District 13, several people from the Capitol.

No one wanted to move to the Capitol. No one wanted to taste the luxuries they have there. The Capitol has become a ghost town. A deserted suburb. Abandoned warehouses. Abandoned hotels. Abandoned luxus apartments.  
Economy there broke down, without the deliveries from the districts. Many owners of important hotels or stores were arrested.  
The infrastructure broke down soon. Now the streets are littered with garbage. Crime went up. People who still had property there, sold and moved away.  
The streets are haunted by those citizens of the Capitol that were unwilling to change. They live there in the remains of their former wealth, sitting in their vast appartments, which mostly lack even electricity these days, in the rags of their elaborate, flashy gowns.

Things aren't perfect, but they are getting better. 

Katniss is completely staying out of the political changes, conducted here. But they get news now and then of how successful the rebuilding of District 12 goes. They're not just rebuilding it, they're modernising it, giving the people there finally the accomodations that should be considered obligatory in every district.

District 13 is closed down. Nearly all of its occupants have moved to District 12.

****

I am happy. That's what I think when I look at Gale. Despite the chances being dodgy at best it worked out so far. We are still here. We are still together. Gale didn't have me shipped back to District 12 after a few weeks. I didn't completely go crazy once we arrived here. It worked. Somehow, what we constructed worked. I can even think in clear sentences again. Yesterday, Gale took me to one of these important political meetings. And I gave the semblance of a proper warhero. It's almost possible to imagine we'd always been here, that there had been no District 12, no war, no games. But then it's hard to pretend, when as soon as I leave the flat I'm flashed reminders at every corner. They're even doing a movie about us now. Well, about Katniss, but we'll appear in it too. The advertisement-screens in the city show trailers and promo all around the clock. It pisses Gale off, I don't care all that much. I think in the movie Katniss ends up with me.

I'm the dangerous fighting-machine, the lunatic. So much more dangerous than Gale will ever be. And nevertheless I'm clutching his hand when we walk through the city.

****

It wasn't easy at all. At times they were both ready to call it quits. But they've made it. Day by day. To get to where they're now. And for what it concerns Gale, there are no regrets anylonger. Sadness, for the things that went wrong, for the things he couldn't prevent, the things he did. But those old aches have mellowed out over the past months. Faster than he thought it would go. But it's been that way for all of them, for Finnick too. Life has been too quick, too full of new memories, too full of new happiness, to keep holding on to what he could miss about his old life. And for Peeta, he's been only too glad to move on, no longer confronted with the old life that isn't there anylonger.

They fought for it, both of them. Peeta fought with tooth and nails for what they have now.

At the end, Gale thinks, they've won over President Snow in the most important way. They've managed to salvage something this beautiful out of what he did to Peeta. Their lives are going on. 

Neither of them has been broken. Not Peeta by what President Snow did to him. Not Gale by what Coin used him for. And he hasn't seen Katniss in a long time, but he hopes it's the same for her.

****

Life is good, they're moving on. And then the trials start.

 

"You don't have to watch, Peeta." Gale says. "You know that."

I know I don't. I probably wouldn't even have to testify, Gale would tweek something there for them to let off me. And it's not like there aren't enough other people who could testify about being tortured by the capitol people. Johanna, just for one example.

But if she can testify, so can I. We sit in the first row, clutching each other's hands.

 

I'm not nice anylonger. Or stable. Or any of the things I've been until recently. Not the detached monster I was when they brought me back. More feral and angry. Lashing out any second. Gale is understanding, tries to cushion me from all of it, tries to take my moods when we're at home. But after a while he's just angry. I think mostly he's angry that I insist to testify.

 

At the end I can't do it. I sit on the witness stand. And the next moment I'm hanging over the toilet, puking my guts out, while Finnick rubs my neck, telling me that it's going to be okay. I'm still sitting there snot and tears all over my face, when Gale comes storming in, all dressed up in his military uniform. He takes me home. And I apologize that night. He says I don't have to. And by the way he holds me, pressed into a crushing hug, I think he was more scared than angry all the time.

****

We visit the old arena. Where the last games were held. It's still there. A memorial ground of sorts. I don't really know how I feel about it. Even though more and more memories come back. The real ones that is. I remember volunteering to go with Katniss. In there again. I remember the fear. Not of her, but for her. And for myself too. I remember the moment the carrier took off and they'd left me behind.

It's not a good feeling, being here. Not good at all.

I wanted to go, it's not like it was Gale's idea. He wasn't even there. Hasn't even seen an arena like this before, except on the screen.

"Over there I died." I tell Gale with a wry smile, pointing to the place where Finnick restarted my heart.

He doesn't seem to find it funny.

It is a little though, when we both know the place I really died was in the dungeons of the Capitol. Even though, I didn't die, I'm still here. It's the other Peeta who died.

****

It's Haymitch's birthday when they first return to District 12. They stay at Peeta's old victor house.

The district looks different. They've taken down the fence. It's the first thing that catches Gale's eye. It's strange, it's better, yet it feels like its not home any longer.

The houses are rebuilt. Everything looks new and shiny. Katniss' done a hell of a job here.

****

They meet with his family for dinner. They live at Katniss house now, together with her and her mother. The meeting is strained. The absence of Prim is palpable. The way Peeta clutches the silverware doesn't make it better. Gale decides, that he'll invite his family over to Peeta's house for the rest of their stay.

He knew it would be hard, but he was really looking forward to seeing Katniss. She's his oldest friend, after all.

He's not sure if she's even happy to see him. If she's really forgiven him. For taking Prim. For taking Peeta. There's a sad nostalgic smile on her face when she looks at him, that shows him that time doesn't heal all wounds, at least it hasn't done so yet. She's happy to see Peeta, though, that much he can tell.

****

When they return to Peeta's house later that evening he can tell it has taken it's toll on Peeta, he's exhausted. But so is Gale.

Gale sees Peeta strike out the day in his organizer. One day done, five more to go, before they return to District 2. Gale wishes this was less of an ordeal to Peeta, not just a favor Peeta does him.

****

Gale takes Peeta hunting. While they were still living there he never went behind the fence, Peeta's told him.

It feels familiar. It feels safe. It feels like sanctuary. He hopes that Peeta can feel it too.

 

She sees them in the woods. Her woods. But of course, they are Gale's too. They aren't supposed to meet again before the preparation meeting for the party. Peeta will do the cake.

They seem so intimate, moving through the trees and bushes beside each other. It should be her and Peeta there.  
He's so different around Gale. She can see it in his eyes. It's the same way he's looked at her. She feels betrayed. Betrayed by fate. Robbed by the Capitol. This was her love. Hers.

They look so close. Peeta looks so carefree around Gale. Katniss watches them and imagines it was her and Peeta.

She watches Gale kiss Peeta, deeply.

"I love you, Peeta."

"I love you too." Peeta says it so naturally, like there's no doubt about it, even without words. They tumble onto the forest ground, hands all over each other. Their clothes get discarded fast.

Still Katniss can not look away.

****

"I love you!" She doesn't know why she's said it. One final, petty attempt.

"I don't love you." His voice is even. He doesn't say, »I never loved you« even if it's what it feels like.

She punches him then and finally that at least feels familiar. His head snaps back, but he doesn't even reach up to touch the bruise. He doesn't hit back either. He just looks at her.

"I can remember. I remember now." he says then, but it's said without hope. "It changes nothing. They're just memories. Of a time that's past now. I'm sorry." He doesn't sound sorry, but she assumes it counts that he at least tried.

****

"Katniss." 

Gale has spotted her immediately. In their woods. She turns around to him. There she is. In their woods. No fence anylonger. Freedom. Peace. This could have been them. In some version of reality in which they didn't both choose Peeta. They could have been standing here today, with something other than bittersweet aching between them. Without resentment. Even though his has been dulled by now. Hers, though, he hopes it will with time. He hopes she can move on too, one day. Even if she can't forgive him, he hopes she can at least forget Peeta.

Together they walk back into the district, not having to climb through the hole in the fence, not sneaking around. Walking upright in broad daylight. No hunger. No need for hunting.


End file.
